The Meaning of the Ship or Sail Boat Tattoo

Ship tattoos were very common among American sailors in the early 20th century. Sailors would usually get a picture of the ship they called home during the stay in the
Navy tattooed on their body.

The ship tattoo is another typical old school tattoo design often seen in combination with the anchor, nautical stars, mermaids, or
other patriotic designs or sailor motifs.

The meaning of the ship tattoo used to be the affiliation with a specific vessel, today however the ship tattoo represents
freedom and adventure, and we often see historic sail ships beautifully colored and tattooed on people who have never served in the Navy or even never been sailors at all.

The meaning of the ship tattoo may have changed in recent decades, but the glory and grace of historic sailboats along with pirate myths have given ship tattoos a recent
comeback.